Show Me Folk

Don Graves, a master artist of old-time dulcimer and a dulcimer luthier from Lebanon, Missouri, died on Monday, April 14, 2014. Below is a PDF of the tribute we wrote at that time. Master Artist…

We at the Missouri Folk Arts Program are sad to learn that Raymond Thebeau of Cadet, Missouri died on January 8, 2014 at age 82.   Mr. Thebeau was widely recognized as a master square dance caller,…

We were sad to learn today that Naoma Powell of Columbia, the 4’11” powerhouse behind Access Arts, died on Saturday, July 20, 2013, at age 87. When MFAP and the Missouri Arts Council toured an…

Dear friends, sadly, we’ve learned today that the exceptional musican Jim Lansford of Galena, Mo. passed away yesterday. If you didn’t know Jim, the video below is a good sample of his talents, along with…

We were sad to read about the loss of an icon in Missouri gospel music. Slim Cox, who was inducted with his wife Zella Mae into the Missouri History Museum’s Hall of Fame in 2005,…

We are sad to learn that ragtime artist Bob Ault passed away Saturday, April 6. The Missouri Folk Arts Program extends sympathies to his family and friends. An obituary for Robert Ault can be found…

We are very sad to hear that Bryan Culpepper, award-winning park ranger at Ozark Scenic Riverways, passed away on November 25, 2010 at home in Van Buren. Bryan was well-respected and -loved universally. We have…

Master jazz saxophonist Ahmad Alaadeen died on August 15, 2010, and MFAP staff attended his funeral service at Tuesday, August 17 at 10 am at Watkins Brothers Memorial Chapel in Kansas City, Mo. Jazz Times published…

More sad news when we learned that Mitch Jayne passed away on August 2, 2010 in Columbia. Mitch was quite the community scholar and storyteller, though he was best known as a member of The…

Old-time fiddler Bob Holt died in March 2004. Below is a PDF with a brief tribute and links to the obituary his family published and his NEA Heritage Fellow profile at the Masters of Traditional…